Jon Montgomery and Toby Kasavan Bring Hell’s Kitchen Off Broadway

Feb. 7, 2009 - PRLog -- Hell's Kitchen The Musical opens Off-Broadway February 11th at The Hudson Guild Theater. Veteran singer/songwriter and composer Jon Montgomery (Foreigner, KISS) adapted Hell's Kitchen The Musical from his screenplay "The King Of 42nd Street." He teamed up with pianist and composer Toby Kasavan (Bootsy Collins, Wilson Pickett), and after the score and book was written, Hell's Kitchen was first showcased at 353 Studios in 2004.

Some of the actors in the show are tap dance sensation, Omar Edwards (Bring in ‘Da Noise, Bring in ‘Da Funk; Black & Blue) playing Renny “Slick” Davis; New York City Opera tenor Andrew Drost (Sweeney Todd, Antony & Cleopatra, Most Happy Fella) won the role of Angelo; Gabrielle Visser (Ragtime, The Full Monty, Guys & Dolls) is Beatrice, and Chris Farha (Newsies, Moulin Rouge) plays Charlie Blue Eyes.

Hell's Kitchen is the musical story of a fascinating era in New York City history. It takes place in the early 1960's in a neighborhood both feared and respected by those who stepped within its borders. Hell’s Kitchen follows the life of Danny Vincente and his friends and family. The show has doo-wop on street corners, street smart scams, rooftop sanctuaries, mobsters, strippers, the scintillating rock scene of New York’s 1960's, and 25 memorable songs.  As Montgomery (who was born and raised in Hell’s Kitchen) stated in the New York Daily News, “I want the audience to walk out of the theater humming.”

Hell's Kitchen The Musical runs February 11th to March 8th at The Hudson Guild Theater at the John Lovejoy Elliott Center, 441 West 26th Street (between 9th and 10th Avenues) in New York City. Tickets are $50 and can be purchased by calling 866-811-4111 and visiting Theatermania.com. Show begins at 8pm.

For more information, pictures, and audio, visit www.hellskitchenthemusical.com

Playing Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday & Sunday Eves.  Running time: Two hours w/one intermission.

Hell’s Kitchen The Musical is a Bridge Across Production.

(MORE INFO)

Jon Montgomery - (Book, Lyrics & Music) Jon is a vete ran songwriter and composer, as well as a director and playwright. He wrote directed and produced “The Edge “Off Broadway to great reviews. He wrote the book and lyrics to the new musical, “The Miracle Age,” and directed the showcase at the Grand Theater. He has produced three showcases of “Hell’s Kitchen The Musical.” Jon is a writer for CBS, Arista, Chappell, Paramount, KISS, Billy Cross and many young artists. His films “The King Of 42nd Street” and “In The Still Of The Night” will be shot later this year. He has been featured on television (Crashing New York, Fox New Special w/Bill McCuddy) and in film (Scarecrow In The Garden Of Cucumbers). He has performed at just about all of the major venues. Jon has worked with Billy Squire, Jimmy Haslip, Ricky Bird, KISS, Todd Rundgren, Johnny Winter, Buzzy Linhart , just to name a few.

Toby Kasavan - (Music) - Toby is composer/pianist who combines the American songbook traditions with the New Orleans/Chicago blues tradition to form his own style. He attended the CalArts (BFA) where he studied with Leonid Hambro and James Tenny. Toby has played and recorded with George Clinton and P-Funk, Daniel Collins, Bootsy Collins, Don Covay, Bill Laswell and Willie Bobo. Toby has composed for dance and film on the Stork Label. He was also the Knitting Factory’s featured composer on Karamaville which was performed at the American Church in Paris. He composed and produced the 80 Fingers Dual Piano Festival at the Whitney Museum. Toby has toured France, Germany and Japan gathering wonderful reviews for his work.

Joann Oakes (director, SSDC) - JoAnn has worked in almost every aspect of theatre, both on-stage and behind the scenes for over 35 years, in both the U.S. and abroad.  Being an Air Force wife has kept her from the NYC scene until now.  She has been involved in theater everywhere they were stationed throughout the world, as Actress, Artistic Director, Director, and President of many theater groups.  Her love for theater grows with each new and challenging show.  Some of her director credits include: Danny and the Deep Blue Sea, Marriage is Murder, Barefoot in the Park, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf, Any Wednesday, and many more.  More recently, her attention has been on Musical Theatre, having directed Heidi, The Sound of Music, Annie, The Music Man and The Best of Broadway I and II, which included Assassins, Phantom, Gypsy and many more.



THE TEAM
Jon Montgomery - Book
Jon Montgomery - Lyrics & Music
Toby Kasavan - Music
Jo-Ann Oakes - Director
Joe Barros - Choreographer
Emmett M'Connell - Set Designer
Jennifer Anderson – Costumes



CAST: Omar Edwards, Andrew Drost, Gabrielle Visser, Chris Farha, Jared Troilo, Aimee Corley, Joshua Antonucci, Leandra Ramm, Paul Luoma, Bridget Bailey, Kyle Kleibecker, Heidi Beckman, Alex Perrone, Marissa Parness, Mallory Taylor, Ross Boehringer, John Blackwell, Michael Briatico, Eddie Wardel, Danielle Ryan, Carina Scott, Allison Young, Lauren Kampf.

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A former music industry publicist who founded his own shop in 1996. Used to work with Queen Latifah and Coolio, now he has Joe the Plumber and Joe SixPack. Still entertainment heavy, clients are in music, film, theater, books, and small biz.